Saving the Clown
by nrj6490
Summary: Batman desperately tries to save the dying Joker
1. Chapter 1

I

The Batman grabbed at his utility belt for one of the grenades Mr. Freeze gave him. He felt only one left. Grabbing it instantly, he threw it straight into the maw of what was once Basil Karlo, freezing Clayface instantly. Wasting no time, Batman ran to Karlo, climbed up, and pulled Talia al Ghūl's sword out of the frozen mass. He could see the ice already melting. Wasting no time, he jumped into the frozen mouth of Clayface just as he unfroze.

Karlo looked around, confused, when a blade was jabbed out of his stomach. Clayface looked down in awe, as the blade slipped back in and was used to cut a slice between the head and shoulder. As Karlo gasped in defeat, Batman leaped out of the mess of clay and sheathed the sword. He held in his hand the vial containing the cure. Batman raised the test tube to his mouth and drank half.

"Out of my way, Bats! I've got a date with immortality!" Batman swiveled to see Joker standing over the Lazarus Pit. Acting fast, he grabbed the sword and swiftly threw it into the control panel, barely missing Joker.

"No!" Joker screamed. The generator swung down barely above the pit, pushing Clayface into it, and henceforth triggering a massive explosion. Batman clenched the cure and was blown backwards.

Batman awoke, he estimated five minutes later. He heard Joker's raspy voice, "Quick! The cure!" Batman looked at his hand, seeing that the cure was still there. "What are you waiting for? C'mon!" The Dark Knight stood. "I killed your girlfriend, poisoned Gotham, and hell! It's not even breakfast! But so what? We all know you'll save me." This time, Batman responded. "Every decision you've ever made ends with death and misery. People die. I stop you. You'll just break out and do it again." Batman turned. The rasp returned. "Think of it as a running gag!" As he said gag, Joker came out of nowhere and stabbed Batman in the shoulder, causing Batman to drop the cure. "No!" Joker screamed. He ran to the puddle of blue liquid and frantically slurped at what little was left.

"Are you happy now?" Joker asked. "Do you want to know something funny?" Batman asked. "After everything you've done… I would've saved you." Joker cracked up in raspy laughter. "That actually is (cough) pretty funny." Joker lost all strength and deeply exhaled. And did not inhale. _No! _Batman thought. He blinked twice and entered a world of numbers and statistics.

Batman focused his attention on Joker's limp body. _19 bpm… he's still alive! _Batman grabbed Joker's body and grappled up to the Monarch Theater, still splattered with specks of clay. He ran to the door and kicked it open, where Joker's goons were located. "Move it, bozos!" said the voice of Harley Quinn. "No!" she said when she stood directly in front of Batman. "Y-you KILLED HIM!" she screamed. "Move, Quinn." the Dark Knight coolly responded. "He's still alive. I need to get him to Freeze now!"

"Wha-" Harley was cut off as Batman grappled up to the top of the theater in one fluid movement and raced across the rooftops of Arkham City. He would save Joker. He had to.


	2. Chapter 2

II

"Oracle."

"Bruce? Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm cured. But Joker isn't."

"Okay, so come home."

"I can't."

"What?"

"I have to save him."

"How-"

Batman cut Oracle off. Joker was still unconscious as Batman approached the GCPD building. He checked on the more-pale-than-usual criminal's heartbeat. _9 bpm, _Batman thought. _I need to hurry._ Batman landed next to the near-abandoned building. He shot an electric charge at the vehicle entrance and slipped Joker under, then himself. He ran into the lab.

"Freeze."

"Hello, Batman. Have you found Nor- What is the clown doing here?"

"I need you to cryogenically freeze him"

"Why should I-" Batman ran up to Freeze and held a folded batarang at Freeze's throat inside his cracked helmet.

"It's not open for discussion."

"You wouldn't. You don't kill."

"I've done a lot of things that I've never done tonight."

Freeze stared in fear at Batman.

"Fine. Put him in there" Freeze pointed to a small apparatus in the corner of the room.

Batman grabbed Joker, whose heartbeat was now at 10 bpm, and put him in the mechanism.

"Do it NOW."

Freeze typed out some commands, and the doors of the device shut, and steam obscured Joker from Batman's vision.

When the fog cleared, Batman saw a silhouette of his enemy frozen in a slab of ice.

"How do you plan to save him, Batman", Freeze said in his usual monotone.

"I need to find more blood from Ra's al Ghūl", Batman replied.

"When the tower exploded, I thought the assassin fell with you", Freeze commented.

"He did. He died – again.", Batman answered. "All I need to do is find him again".


	3. Chapter 3

III

Batman left the GCPD in a hurry, calibrating the Batcomputer to guide him towards the Bowery.

_The last time I saw Ra's, he landed near the processing center near the entrance to Arkham City, _Batman thought as he glided past the courthouse.

When he finally landed in the Bowery, he saw about 5 of Two-Face's thugs next to the gate. _Easy prey, _Batman thought. He dove towards the ground in the center of the group of henchmen.

"It's the Bat!" one yelled in terror.

One more cowardly henchman ran and hid behind a burning car. _I'll spare him, _thought Batman as he bent a pipe over his knee.

He quickly disposed of the other four thugs.

Once all thugs were incapacitated, Batman coolly walked to the gate where he entered Arkham eleven hours ago. _No! _Batman thought. All that was there was a familiar sword in the ground.

Batman held his index and middle fingers to his ear. "Oracle."

"Bruce? What happened to Joker?"

"Freeze has him in cryogenic suspension. I need information on Ra's al Ghūl."

"Didn't he die – again – on the way down from Wonder Tower?"

"Yes. His body's gone."

"Oh. So the Pit?"

"The Pit."

Batman recalibrated the Batcomputer to the Industrial District. On he stopped on the divided roof on the border of Amusement Mile and the Industrial District.

The Dark Knight looked over the skyline of Gotham. He was about to glide into the heated district when he looked down where Crane's mask was.

It was gone.

"Oracle"

"What's wrong?"

"Crane's mask. It was here an hour ago."

"Yeah, so?"

"It's gone now"

"I'll flag it for investigation. Priority one is Joker."

"Alright"

Batman reluctantly turned and dove into the smog of the Industrial District.


	4. Chapter 4

IV

Batman soared through the smog-choked rooftops of the Industrial District, using the Grapnel Boost prototype strategically to not alert the inmates assembled at street level. After what seemed like ages, he approached the chasm that led to the subway tunnels.

The Dark Knight blinked twice and Detective Mode initiated. He counted four armed inmates. _I don't have time to fight. _Batman reached into a pouch and retrieved a Sonic Batarang. Aiming carefully, he threw it at the building furthest from the hole. Naturally, one lone inmate went to investigate.

Batman waited until the inmate was two meters away from the wall where the Batarang landed, then administered the shock capability, rendering the inmate unconscious, after the inmate uttered a short yelp, alerting the other henchmen.

The other three inmates ran to the unconscious fourth, away from the entry to the chasm. Batman wasted no time in diving into the chasm.

"Oracle. I'm in the tunnels."

"Good. You don't need help getting back to the pit, do you?"

"There is no pit. It was destroyed during my fight with Clayface."

"Then how will you find Ra's?"

"Lazarus is like a mineral, they form in veins. Where this large deposit was found, other smaller pits are sure to be nearby. I suspect that Ra's will be trying to find these other pits. I took a sample of the Lazarus Ra's made me drink. Calibrate the cowl for potency in the air so I have a trail."

"Done. Also…"

"What?"

"I called in Robin and Nightwing."

"I can handle this by myself, Barbara."

"I know, but… its just you never know what might happen. Especially with him."

"Alright. Call no one else in."

"Fine. Good luck."

Batman continued following the potency indicator until he arrived in the subway terminal. He blinked twice.

_Lets see… five hostiles, look like Two-Face's… wait, but there's another. _Batman looked up to a blue-outlined form on top of a gargoyle. _Who is he?_

Batman pondered this as he stepped into the center of the terminal. "It's the Bat!" one henchman said. Soon Batman was surrounded.

"What's he doin'? Surrenderin'?"

"Stay still, Bat. Don't move."

Batman cracked a grin as he took three smoke pellets out of his pouch.

"I'm sure it will."

The henchman looked confused. Then Batman dropped the pellets.

One by one Batman used the Batclaw to pull henchmen into the cloud and administered takedowns and slams until there were no henchmen left.

Batman blinked twice. The figure was still there. He grapneled up to the gargoyle nearest the figure.

Batman blinked multiple times, to make sure he wasn't seeing things. The figure

was still there.

"Hello again, Azrael."


	5. Chapter 5

V

"Hello again, Azrael", Batman said.

"Why are you still in Arkham City? The Joker is dead."

"I could ask you the same question. I need to save Joker."

"Your reasons are… questionable. Your morals are pure. I shall aid you."

"I don't need-"

"I insist."

Batman exhaled and looked down. "Fine. But one rule."

"Name it."

"Whoever we encounter, no killing."

"Done."

Batman nodded and dropped to the floor. Azrael jumped next to him.

"Here". Batman gave his Explosive Gel dispenser to Azrael. "Spray the gel in those three spots". Batman pointed to points in a triangular formation in the middle of the room.

Batman held his finger to his ear.

"Robin"

"Bruce? What do you need?"

"I need you to dive bomb through a location. Explosive Gel isn't enough."

"Wait… What?

"You won't be hurt. The distance I need you to dive is only about thirty feet. Sending you the coordinates now."

Batman turned to Azrael. "Done?"

"Yes." Azrael handed back the dispenser.

Batman nodded. "You may want to stand back."

Azrael looked questionably at Batman but stepped outside of the triangle.

Batman looked at the glass roof of the terminal. "Three… two… one…"

CRASH! A red shape fell through the roof and hit the center of the triangle just as Batman detonated the Explosive Gel. The floor caved in instantly.

Batman grabbed the Batclaw and shot it down at the falling shape, lifting it out of the chasm. When they were done, an exhilarated Robin sat on the ground.

"The things I do for you", Robin said.

"Where's Nightwing?"

"You didn't notice me?" said a voice from the roof.

They all looked up as Nightwing expertly flipped down from the shattered roof.

"Who's tall, dark and holy?"

Batman responded to Nightwing's question. "An agent of the Order of St. Dumas. His name is Azrael."

Nightwing and Robin looked quizzically at each other. "Uh, okay."

The four of them looked down into the newly opened chasm in the floor. Batman was the first to jump down, followed by Robin, Nightwing and Azrael.

The gap was larger than they thought, needing them to grapple (or in Azrael's case, grind against the walls) down.

They finally emerged into a narrow tunnel. Batman sniffed the air, and then blinked twice. _Lazarus level… ten percent. Unidentified chemical… one percent. _Batman pondered this momentarily before informing,"We're close."

"What now?" Robin inquired.

"We split up" said Batman, pointing to four passageways.

They each took one tunnel.

Batman walked into his tunnel. He continued for about forty feet until he reached a dead end. Turning to go back, he saw a wall block where he once was. The floor suddenly fell out from under him.

Batman fell for about sixty feet, blacking out in the process.

When he finally came to, he was lying on the ground when he heard a familiar cackle.

"Poor little Bat. You're in _**my**_ world now!"


	6. Chapter 6

VI

Batman held two fingers to his temple to steady his head against the recent onslaught of mental warfare. _Crane? _Batman thought.

A menacing voice spoke. "You're in my realm now. Everything is as real as I choose it to be!"

Batman opened his eyes. He was behind a wall on what seemed to be a floating island. The sky was a whirling mass of grey and sickly green, as was the abyss beneath the island. There were about six more large islands in a circular formation around a large figure whose back was facing Batman. He saw Robin, Nightwing and Azrael on these islands.

Then the figure turned towards Batman.

"Scarecrow"

A voice behind the raggedy gas mask spoke. "I will break you, Batman!"

A hand wearing a glove with syringes on the fingers swung down at Batman, who dove to evade it. Batman quickly grabbed a smoke pellet from his belt and threw it down, enveloping him in a cloud of smoke. Batman quickly ran behind a wall before Crane swung again at the cloud. He raised his fist to see that no one was there.

Batman saw Nightwing on the adjacent platform. He quickly jumped over and flattened himself against the wall where Nightwing was standing.

Batman looked around the corner. Scarecrow was looking toward Azrael's platform, with his syringe-hand facing towards Batman and Nightwing.

Batman looked toward a platform about 50 meters away and saw something familiar.

"Nightwing" Batman whispered.

Nightwing leaned in.

Batman pointed to the signal.

Nightwing nodded.

Before Batman could react, Nightwing jumped out from behind the wall and ran to the next; creating enough noise so Scarecrow could look his way.

Batman used the distraction to make a mad dash for the signal. He crouched behind it and tilted it towards Scarecrow.

"GAHHHHH!" Scarecrow screamed.

There was a flash of white light, and they were all back at the spot when the tunnel split, with a normal-sized Scarecrow at their feet.

Batman grabbed at his throat, shoved him against the wall and pinned the hand full of liquefied fear gas syringes with his hand.

"You're not supposed to be in here, Crane."

"Neither are you".

Batman punched Scarecrow swiftly in the stomach.

"How did you get in?"

Crane said nothing.

Batman tightened his grip.

After what seemed like hours but was seconds, Scarecrow coughed and said, "Strange!"

Batman dropped him to the ground. Scarecrow crawled to the wall, clutching his throat. "Strange got me in. He and that warlord were supposed to entrap you, then me and Strange would tear your mind apart."

Batman turned to a concerned Robin and Nightwing.

"But **he** got in the way."

Batman swiveled to face Scarecrow again.

"Who?" he demanded.

Scarecrow grinned. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Batman looked confused until a drugged cloth was held over his nose. Scarecrow stood, now maniacally smiling.

As Batman descended into unconsciousness, Scarecrow whispered, "Hush, little bat, don't say a word…"


	7. Chapter 7

VII

Batman awoke to a blurry world. He shook his head to try to wake himself more from the sedative. His arms were bent behind his back, and tied by rope. He blinked twice, to make sure his cowl was still on. The world of blue appeared, and he saw two blue outlines behind the wall next to him.

One approached the door. It creaked open, and the figure showed to be Scarecrow.

"Where am I, Crane? Where are Robin, Nightwing and Azrael? "

"All in due time, little bat", Scarecrow replied. "Now, there's someone I want you to meet."

Batman quickly went into detective mode and he saw the second skeleton walk towards the door. The blue world disappeared and there, in the doorway, stood a man with his face wrapped in bandages.

"Hello, Elliot", Batman said.

Tommy Elliot grimaced. "That name means nothing to me. My name is Hush".

"If you insist", Batman snapped back. He went into detective mode and looked behind the wall where he was tied and saw three outlines, all conscious. Batman calmly turned. "Very accommodating. Never seen a wall like this"

"I thought you might like it" Hush replied, continuing the sarcasm. "Don't worry. We didn't take off your mask. That would be too easy".

"That's everyone's excuse". Batman blinked twice and he saw that Hush's resting heartbeat was 20 bpm above normal. "I see you encountered the emergency shock system."

Hush growled. "Of course," He held up a pair of rubber gloves. "It's never too late to try again".

He put on the gloves and reached forward. Batman blinked twice in panic. That was when he looked down and saw three figures.

The floor erupted beneath him.

Batman fell, being hit with stones on the way down. He fell about 10 feet before Azrael caught him. Batman looked up and saw Hush and Scarecrow looking down.

"Go get it", Hush said to Scarecrow. Scarecrow nodded and walked towards the door.

"Robin. Nightwing. Azrael. The nearest connecting tunnel is about 50 feet to the right." He gave his explosive gel to Azrael. "Break through. I'll keep him busy."

"Good luck with that…" Hush said before he jumped down.

"You should be scared, Batman. I've dabbled in that Venom stuff. Not so much as to turn me into a Bane, but…" Hush punched the wall and his hand sunk in two feet. "Enough."

"You are nothing, Elliot. Your pride does nothing but blind you." He pressed a button on his gauntlet and every light in the room shattered, leaving them in total darkness.

"And I'm about to turn out the lights."


	8. Chapter 8

VIII

**Before I write this chapter, I have to say DANKE for all the encouraging comments (especially the ones asking me to do more, sorry, but I'll try to wrap it up soon).**

**So yeah.**

Hush turned cautiously around the pitch-black room, hearing only the explosions of the gel. He walked towards the sound and punched, but his fist hit a metal plate with a clang. Even Hush's now venom-infused strength couldn't break through Robin's shield. Then he felt a tug on the back of his jacket.

Batman pulled the batclaw towards him, pulling Hush in turn, and stuck out is foot, tripping his blinded enemy. He then swung his hand above his chest, dropping it forcefully on Hush, slamming him to the ground. Hush grabbed Batman's foot and pulled it towards him, dropping Batman to the ground as well.

Hush then grabbed Batman, pushing him against the nearest wall and putting his hands around his neck. Batman heard a sharp crack in the wall. He blinked twice and found that the area behind the wall was hollow, with a 48.8% Lazarus potency.

Batman yelled, "Robin! The gel!" He saw Robin nod in his blue display and throw the gel to him. Batman sprayed the gel behind his back, at the wall. Then he grabbed his line launcher from his belt, and shot it at the parallel wall. This caused Hush to stumble into the wall. Batman redirected his launcher to aim straight at the first wall, detonating the gel simultaneously. Hush was blasted forward and Batman kicked into him, launching him into the chasm behind the wall.

Batman ran over to the chasm and batclawed Hush, connecting the rope to the edge. He then looked down. A pool of a green chemical was lying at the bottom of a massive ravine. He dropped a probe into the pool. Then he went into detective mode and found that the Lazarus potency was 100%.

"Bingo" Batman said. The others abandoned their gel escape attempt and rushed over to Batman. The eerie light from the pit gave a faint green glow to the room. "So that's the Lazarus" Robin said. Nightwing heard a faint thumping gradually getting louder. He frowned and looked at the adjacent wall in detective mode. He saw a form approaching rapidly. "Get down!" he said as he pushed Batman, Robin and Azrael to the other wall. Then the wall burst open and Killer Croc ran into the room.

Then, Scarecrow dropped down from the hole in the ceiling. "Hello, Bat! Like my Croc-magnet?" he said while dangling a bag with a faint green smoke rising from it.

Batman scowled at Scarecrow before turning to Croc. "Robin. Nightwing. Restrain Crane." He looked at Azrael. "We'll handle Croc." Robin and Nightwing nodded and rushed to Scarecrow, avoiding his frantic swipes, and snapping on cuffs. They then set to spaying a circle of explosive gel in the center of the room.

Batman and Azrael backed away, Azrael brandishing his sword and Batman drawing two Sonic Batarangs, keeping their shock capabilities engaged and the blades tucked outwards. They then ran towards Croc.

Azrael frequently blocked heavy punches and swings from Croc, and attacking whenever he could, only having his sword bounce off his scales. Batman moved his Batarangs towards Croc's ears, having them emit a high-pitched whirr, and punching with the shock capability when he could, dodging his attacks. Eventually, Croc grew sick of the game, and extended his arms to the walls of the room, running forward. Batman and Azrael ran for the other end of the room, where Nightwing, Robin and Scarecrow were.

"Any plans?" Batman asked Robin. "One" he replied. He detonated the gel just as Croc reached the center of the gel circle. However, instead of being stunned and lying in a crater, he fell. The four looked down and saw where he went.

"Oracle" Batman said.

"Bruce! Did you find the Lazarus?"

"Yeah, but remember what I said about Ra's finding a large deposit and that there would be smaller ones nearby?"

"Yes…"

"I think he found a smaller one"

They looked down and saw Croc staring up, eyes imbued with greenish-yellow gas, standing in an ocean of Lazarus.

"If this brought the assassin from the dead with great power…" they heard Croc growl, "… think of what it could do for the living".

With that, Croc submerged his face into the Lazarus. "Lazarus isn't only a chemical, Bat." Scarecrow said. "I should know, I know chemicals better than anyone, even Ra's al Ghul. It isn't only a chemical. It's alive."

Croc nodded, at least 50 feet down. "And it recognizes me as its master!" He roared, and the green sea turned purple. Batman dropped another probe. "He rearranged the molecular structure so that it is now poisonous to every living thing… except him."

Croc smirked. "How observant" Then, he slammed his arms against the ground, causing a tremor that made what was left of the floor, sending the handicapped Hush and Scarecrow, as well as Nightwing, Robin, Azrael and Batman falling towards the lethal ocean.


End file.
